Bourn back in lineup

May 10, 2013|Reuters

The Sports Xchange

MLB Team Report - Cleveland Indians - INSIDE PITCH

The Indians finally have center fielder Michael Bourn back in their lineup, having activated him off the disabled list Thursday. Bourn, who went 0-for-4 in a 10-4 loss at Detroit on Friday, missed just over three weeks with a lacerated right index finger.

The Indians played pretty well despite missing Bourn. Their record while he was on the disabled list was 13-8. For that, the Indians can thank their improved roster depth, which was able to cover for Bourn's absence.

Right fielder Drew Stubbs moved over to play center field while Bourn was out, and left fielder Michael Brantley moved into Bourn's spot in the leadoff spot in the order. The best indicator at how well the Indians filled the hole in the lineup caused by Bourn's injury is the play of utility man Ryan Raburn.

It was Raburn who was most affected by the loss of Bourn. Raburn got most of the at-bats in right field after Stubbs moved to center field, and Raburn made the most of that increased playing time. Raburn was named the American League's Player of the Week for the week ending May 5.

With the return of Bourn, the Indians can now go back to their projected starting lineup. That has Bourn in center field and hitting leadoff. The return of Bourn thus brings much more depth to an Indians lineup that was functioning well in its absence.

Bourn himself was playing well when he went onto the disabled list. He was hitting .333 in 10 games prior to getting hurt.

--OF/IF Ryan Raburn returned to Detroit for the first time Friday as a member of the Cleveland Indians, although he did not get into the opening game of the series. Raburn was let go by Detroit, the organization which drafted and brought him to the big leagues, at the end of last season following a disappointing 2012 season during which he was booed heavily and often by fans. "I'd come to the park thinking, 'What's going to happen today,'" said Raburn, who made Cleveland as a non-roster free agent. "I forgot how much fun this game is. It wasn't much fun for me last year."

--RHP Ubaldo Jimenez makes his seventh start of the season Saturday in a place where he has not had success, Comerica Park. Jimenez will be looking for his third straight victory in a stadium where he is 1-7 lifetime with a 7.45 ERA. Overall Jimenez is 4-7 against the Tigers with a 5.05 ERA.

--CF Michael Bourn will be watched carefully by manager Terry Francona as he returns from the disabled list. Bourn was out with a right finger laceration and returned to action Thursday following a two-game rehab stint. "He just came back," Francona said of Bourn. "He's only played two games. We've got a night game, a night game, a day game and a doubleheader. I'll keep my eyes on it." Francona doesn't want to overuse Bourn right away.

--SS Asdrubal Cabrera was hitting third in the Indians' batting order for the 11th game in a row Friday night and it has the look of something permanent after an extended stay at the top of the lineup. "Cabby (Cabrera) all along has felt more comfortable hitting third," manager Terry Francona said. "We were a little reluctant to put left-handed hitters back-to-back (at the top of the lineup (Michael Bourn, Jason Kipnis)." He took a .300 batting average in the third spot (18x60) away from Friday night's series opener with Detroit.

--RHP Cory Kluber got too many pitches in the hitting zone Friday night and it cost him his second straight loss after two wins in a row. "His stuff was identical to his last start," manager Terry Francona said. "It was crisp early but when he got (deeper) into the game he made mistakes up in the strike zone to the middle of the order. He threw a slider/cutter in the middle-up to (Miguel) Cabrera (who hit a three-run bomb to left center) to break the game up. That's a tough lineup to go through."

--LHP Rich Hill gave up a home run to LF Andy Dirks of Detroit in the eighth inning Friday night, his first since July 21, 2009. It sounds more impressive than it is, though, since the journeyman has been up and down between the majors and minor leagues through most of his career. His homerless streak spanned 51 games and 40 2/3 innings.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We scored four runs off one of the better pitchers in the game. You have to kind of scratch and claw against a guy like that." -- Manager Terry Francona after a loss Friday.

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MLB Team Report - Cleveland Indians - ROSTER REPORT

MEDICAL WATCH:

--RHP Vinnie Pestano (right elbow tendinitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 1.